Distillation of coal



Patented Oct. 20, 1931 NITED STATES PATENT oF IcE EDWARD S. HEAD, OF IE'HILADELIHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR OI ONE-HALF '1 JONATHAN 1. EDWARDS,

0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA msmm'rron or cOAI' No Drawing.

My invention relates to the distillation of coal, and more particularly to-a process for the utilization of coal which is too fine or otherwise unsuited for commercial use, and to the novel products resulting from my process.

Specifically I have devised a process for the commerclal utilization of anthracite fines, which are a waste product, so that certain novel products which result may be successfully used commercially with large economies where ordinary high grade coal is used.

The process may be carried out on carbonaceous materials having the properties of anthracite'fine coal, also known as anthracite silt, and broadly comprehends the steps of treatment of the properly prepared fines with crude oil and water whereby the combustible matter of the coal unites with the oil to produce an amalgam or plastic mass and the incombustible matter such as sand, rock dust, and slate, pass off into the water through screens, and (B) treatment of the plastic mass ofcombustible matter by a distillation process which distillation is arrested at a'point or points whereby an entity is obtained that possesses characteristics of (1) high calorific value, (2) low ash content, and (3) a volatile content not appreciably different from' high grade semibituminous coal.

The entity referred to as a result of step (B) herein described, has physical characteristics which permit its use as (A), a fuel per se, for heating steam boilers, or for metallurgical operations where powdered anthracite is now used, or use as a carbonizingagent in metallurgical processes; as (b) a supplementary ingredient to be mixed with soft coal and the resulting mixture used as a substitute for soft coal with certain economical advantages; as (0) an intermediate product for the making of briquets, which latter are subjected to a distillation process which is continued to complete carbonization with the final production .of a smokeless and odorless fuel. Alternatively, the briquet distillation may be arrested to form various grades of fuels approaching those com'pletely carbonized.

The process in detail is indicated by the Application filed August 12, 1929. Serial No. 385,467.

following example: Anthracite fines, which are-now a wasteproduct, are pulverized in a Harding or Fuller mill until %80% will pass through a 200 mesh screen. The resulting product is then mixed with oil and water,l about one barrel of crude oil to a ton of coa large tank. The combustible elements in the coal unite with the oil and the incombustible matter passes off into the water through. screens as it flows through the tank. This preliminary treatment is already known. The resulting amalgam of coal and oil is transferred to a retort for distillation without' briquetting. The distillation of the light oils from the amalgam is conducted at a temperature below 750 Fahrenheit, preferably about analysis of which is as follows:

Per cent Volatile matter 14 to 18.03 Fixed carbon to 74.42 Ash 4.7.9 to 7.55'

The distillation process in a 100 ton per hour retort could be completed in one hour.

This product is of a fine, flour-like, gummy consistency which has a colorific value of approximately 13,500 B. t. u. As indicated hereinbefore, this product can be mixed with soft coal and the mixture burned without any loss and with great resulting economies to the user. A mixture of equal parts of my processed anthracite and bituminous coal results in considerable savings over straight and the mixture is then' agitated in a 600, and is arrested at a point which produces a 'product a representative sis soft coal. My processed anthracite coal can also be burned in powdered form without a mixture'of soft coal, but in this form, the

process of distillation must be carried on at higher temperatures, up to 650 Fahrenheit, so that the product may be dry enough to be readily handled in blowers. When an equal part of soft coalis mixed with the anthracite, the distillation can be carried out anthracite fines and soft coal together iny process the mixture in the manner above described. This method has the additional advantage 'that, in the process of distillation,

especially when the soft coal in the mixture 'in the usual fractionating equipment. The

briquetting of my processed anthracite eliminates difficulties of subsequent carbonization together with uneconomical considerations which pertain to the briquetting of non-distilled raw amalgam. In carbonizing briquets made from the raw amalgam, mixture of coal and oil, great difliculty is experienced in securing complete carbonization and com plete recovery of the oil, for the reason, that in the'carbonizatio'n process, a crust is formed on the briquets which interferes with the expulsionof the gasses from the interior of the briquets. This difficulty is obviated by carrying on the primary distillation with the material in powdered form, then briquetting the remaining material and completing the carbonization of the briquets with or'without the recovery of the remaining oil which is of small amount. This method has the further advantage that a large processing plant could be located near the source of supply, and the raw material for briquetting' shipped to 'briqu'etting plants, located at points of consumption. The cost of such briquetting plants would be small since they would be free from the high cost of oil recovery apparatus.

It s apparent that my process is not lim-' ited to anthracite fines. For example, it may be applied to unburned coal recovered from screened ashes at the power plant. These ashes can be pulverized, treated with oil, and processed as above indicated, to recover the unburned coal, the arrested distillation product being then mixed with soft coal and burned in power plants, or it could be'briquetted. It is clear that any carbonaceous material which is amenable to treatment by step A hereindescribed, may be processed as I have indicated. The numerical values given.

herein for my novel products are to be considered exemplary, rather than values of limitation.

Within the scope and spirit of my invention,

' I' desire only to be limited by the appende claims.

I claim "-1. The process of making a solid fuel which comprises mixing powdered anthracite coal with sufficient crude oil to form a slightly plastic mixture and destructively distilling the same at temperatures below a maximum of 750 F. for approximately one hour so as to producea product containing from 14% to 18% volatile matter.

2. The process of making a solid fuel which comprises mixing powdered mineral, combustible, carbonizable material with sufiicient crude oil to form a slightly plastic mixture and destructively distilling thesame up to a temperature of approximately 600 F. for a period of time sufiicient to produce a product containing from 14% to 18% of volatile matter.

In testimony whereon, I have hereunto subscribed my name this tenth day of August,

EDl/VARD S. MEAD. 

